A special Supreme Court reference that was filed by the people of Mekeo challenging the National Capital District Commission’s ‘Buai ban’ is in the process of having disputed facts settled in court.
A trial was conducted by Justice Allan David on Wednesday afternoon and this morning to settle those facts and have witness statements tendered in court before the actual hearing can take place before a five-judge Supreme Court bench.
The special reference was filed in July last year and was supposed to be heard by the court last week, however that was not done because parties; lawyers representing the people of the Mekeo-Kuni LLG in the Kairuku-Hiri District, the NCDC and the Speaker of Parliament did not agree to the disputed fact which the court will look into.
This reference was filed by the people of the Mekeo-Kuni LLG. NCDC and the Speaker of Parliament are interveners or parties who joined the reference.
A total of 13 witness statements by the people from the Mekeo-Kuni LLG were tendered into court today to be used as evidence.
The reference will be heard on a later date by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, Justices Ambeng Kandakasi, Ellenas Batari, Allan David and Joseph Yagi.